Season 2010 - Official AFL Website of the Western Bulldogs Football Club

westernbulldogs.com.au

• 1877 – Footscray Football Club begins a link with the VFA, with its junior side playing 15 games in the Association's junior division.
  
  
• 1879 – After moving from ground to ground, local council finally grants the Club permission to use the Western Reserve (now the Whitten Oval) as their home ground.
  
  
• 1880 – After the death of French Prince Louis Napoleon, the 'Prince Imperial' heir to the French throne, Footscray change the name of the Club to the Prince Imperials out of respect.
  
  
• 1881 – With a lack of player numbers and membership commitment, a crisis meeting is held at the Royal Hotel to decide whether the Club was to continue or not.
  
  
• 1883 – The Club drops the name Prince Imperials and once again becomes the Footscray Football Club. After the name change, the Club attracts a lot of interest from local talent. Players wore blue and white hooped guernseys and socks and red caps.
  
  
• 1886 – In association with Footscray Cricket Club, a senior club is formed at a meeting held at the Belgravia Hotel.
  
  
• 1886 – Five parliamentarians and the entire Footscray Council become patrons, and a drive to recruit 150 members was announced. Cr David Mitchell was elected president.
  
  
• 1886 – First senior game played. Opponents were St Kilda Football Club. Footscray defeated them 4 goals 11 behinds to St Kilda's 3 goals 10 behinds.
  
  
• 1897 – The Victorian Football League is formed, but Footscray remain in the VFA.
  
  
• 1898 – The VFA introduce the concept of finals.
  
  
• 1898 – Footscray finish the season equal top with North Melbourne and play them in the first final to decide the Premiership.
  
  
• 1898 – Footscray win their first VFA Premiership.
  
  
• 1899 – With debts reduced, record crowds at matches, and the team sparking, Footscray stormed to the second Premiership.
  
  
• 1899 – Footscray request to play a match against VFL premiers Fitzroy, but the VFL reject the idea.
  
  
• 1900 – Footscray cruise to third straight Premiership, losing only one game for the season.
  
  
• 1906 – Footscray make it to the Grand Final, but lose to West Melbourne by 11 points.
  
  
• 1908 – In front of a record crowd of 41 000, Footscray secure their 4th Premiership.
  
  
• 1911 – The Club adopts the concept of professionalism, with most players receiving 15 shillings a week.
  
  
• 1911 – Long time serving president James Cuming dies.
  
  
• 1912 – A new grandstand is erected at the Western Reserve to commence the 1912 season.
  
  
• 1913 – Footscray win 5th VFA Premiership.
  
  
• 1915 – 13 games into the season, the VFA decide to close the competition due to World War One.
  
  
• 1916 – Did not play due to World War One.
  
  
• 1917 – Did not play due to World War One.
  
  
• 1918 – After the war Footscray resume play in the VFA, but finish on the bottom of the ladder.
  
  
• 1919 – Footscray make a bid to join the VFL, but are rejected due to local recruiting districts already being allotted to South Melbourne and Essendon.
  
  
• 1919 – After solid recruiting, Footscray go on to win the VFA Premiership.
  
  
• 1920 – Footscray make it two in a row, taking their VFA Premiership tally to seven. After the win President Dave Mitchell is given a red, white and blue flag with a picture of a bulldog and the words 'Bulldog tenacity' written on it.
  
  
• 1922 – Once again Footscray apply to join the VFL but are again denied.
  
  
• 1923 – Footscray win another Premiership against old rivals Port Melbourne. In what was a quite spiteful match, seven players were reported. Again, Footscray officials fight to get the club in the VFL but are again turned down due to the issue of recruiting districts.
  
  
• 1924 – After finishing on top of the ladder for the fifth straight year, Footscray put in a dominant performance in the Grand Final against Williamstown, bringing the Club nine Premierships in 39 seasons of VFA football.
  
  
• 1924 – After winning the 1924 Premiership, Footscray square off against VFL Premiers Essendon for charity in what was dubbed the 'Championship of Victoria'. In front of 46,100 people Footscray won by 28 points, further pressing their claims to join the VFL.
  
  
• 1925 – Clearly being the most dominant team in the VFA, Footscray joined the 'big guns' in the VFL along with Hawthorn and North Melbourne.
  
  
• 1925 – George Bayliss kicks Footscray's first goal in the VFL. Unfortunately they lose their first match to Fitzroy by nine points.
  
  
• 1931 – With continuing on field success, the Club is able to wipe out all of its debt.
  
  
• 1938 – Footscray make the VFL finals for the first time, the first of the three teams admitted into the VFL in 1925 to do so.
  
  
• 1941 – Footscray pack up and leave the Western Oval and play their home games at Yarraville, leaving the oval free for soldiers on the way to the battles of New Guinea during World War Two.
  
  
• 1943 – The Club returns to Western Oval.
  
  
• 1951 – Being the youngest side to reach the VFL finals, Footscray go down to Essendon, still unable to record their first final victory.
  
  
• 1953 – After seven attempts, Footscray win their first VFL final.
  
  
• 1954 – Footscray win their one and only VFL Premiership defeating Melbourne in the Grand Final by 51 points – 15.12.102 to 7.9.51. Full forward Jack Collins was the star for the Bulldogs with seven goals, while rover John Kerr was regarded by many pundits as the best man on the ground. The captain-coach of the Footscray Premiership team was Charlie Sutton.
  
  
• 1955 – Footscray's membership jumps to 12,315 – A VFL record.
  
  
• 1957 – At a mere 23 years of age, Ted Whitten is appointed captain-coach of Footscray, becoming the youngest coach in the league.
  
  
• 1957 – Beating Fitzroy, Footscray win their first night match.
  
  
• 1961 – Footscray make it through to their second VFL Grand Final but go down to Hawthorn.
  
  
• 1963 – Footscray win the VFL night Premiership.
  
  
• 1964 – Again Footscray win the VFL night Premiership.
  
  
• 1965 – The team records its lowest score since entering the VFL, kicking 1 goal and eight behinds (14 points) against Geelong.
  
  
• 1967 – Once more, the Board turn to Charlie Sutton and reappoint him as coach, ending Ted Whitten's ten year reign. Distraught and angry, Whitten was tempted by an approach from Richmond.
  
  
• 1967 – Whitten passes Arthur Oliver and sets a new Club record by playing 272 games.
  
  
• 1967 – Footscray make history by becoming the first wooden spooners to win the night Premiership, defeating South Melbourne 101 to 56.
  
  
• 1968 – The Bulldogs start off the season by beginning construction on a new $250,000 grandstand, known today as the E.J Whitten Stand. Five of the bays were named after Club champions Allan Hopkins, Norm Ware, Arthur Olliver, Charlie Sutton and John Schultz.
  
  
• 1969 – Charlie Sutton decides that the increasing demands of coaching clash with his business of running a hotel at Yarraville. Footscray sought an outsider as a replacement coach, but Bob Davis, Bill Hutchinson and Neil Mann reject the position, so the committee turn again to their favourite son, captain Ted Whitten. 'I am thrilled to be coach again. I am going to insist on discipline. I was too friendly when I was previously coach." said Whitten.
  
  
• 1969 – Ted Whitten celebrates his 300th game with a big win over Fitzroy in round one of the 1969 season.
  
  
• 1970 – Ted Whitten plays his 321st and last game, breaking Dick Reynolds VFL record of 320 games. At three quarter time with the Dogs only two points up, Whitten delivers this inspiring three quarter time speech: It's got to be a do-or-die effort. It's got to be a determined effort. You've got to show me all the guts and determination you've got in your body. You've got to inspire me with this last-quarter finish. You've been in front all day and you've got to stay there. The Bulldogs go on to win by three points.
  
  
• 1970 – A much improved side, Footscray become the first team to win four night Premierships.
  
  
• 1978 – The Bulldogs set a new VFL record kicking a final score of 33–15 (213) against St Kilda with Kelvin Templeton roosting 15-9 to break the previous Club record of ten goals in a match. Templeton later went on to become the youngest player in VFL history to kick a century, recording 118 goals to become the first Footscray player to kick 100 goals in a season.
  
  
• 1983 – Footscray strike a deal with their first major sponsor worth $150,000 with Eastcoast Jeans.
  
  
• 1985 – Footscray record their most successful league season with 16 victories, second place on the ladder and the double chance in the finals for only the second time in Club history.
  
  
• 1985 – Boasting the best Bulldogs side since 1954, the Bulldogs go down to Hawthorn in the preliminary final by ten points.
  
  
• 1987 – After two disappointing seasons, stories begin to circulate that Footscray will either relocate to South Australia, Tasmania or face a merger with another club.
  
  
• 1988 – In a bid to seek more financial security, Footscray leave the Western Oval until a left-wing lawyer Peter Gordon introduces the 'Keep the Dogs at the Western Oval' campaign.
  
  
• 1988 – Simon Beasley breaks Kelvin Templeton's Club record of 495 goals.
  
  
• 1988 – Footscray continue their unlucky tradition, being dubbed 'the team that nearly made it'. In 1983 the Dogs had missed out on the finals by three games, in 1984 by percentage, in 1986 by a game, in 1987 by half a game and once again they would miss out on the finals in 1988 after losing to the Eagles at the Western Oval in the last game of the season despite the fact that the Eagles had only won twice in Melbourne in two seasons.
  
  
• 1989 – The Footscray board authorised President Nick Columb to sound out the possibility of a merger with four other struggling clubs, Richmond, North Melbourne and St Kilda.
  
  
• 1989 – Faced with economic decline, the Footscray Board members reluctantly vote to merge with Fitzroy. However, after finding a legal loophole, members of the 'Bulldogs Connection' were able to give the Club 21 days to raise enough money to keep the team afloat until January 1990. This figure was $1.3 million. $5 million was required to meet operating costs for 1990.
  
  
• 1989 – After a lot of hard work and dedication, 'Save the Dogs' had raised enough money to ensure that the Club would not drift into extension. On Saturday 28th October a victory parade drove from the Western Oval along Barkly Street to Footscray Mall. That night, a galaxy of entertainers performed free of charge at the Melbourne Concert Hall. The head of the VFL, Ross Oakley, wrote a letter to then President Peter Gordon informing him that the Footscray Football Club would be included in the 1990 season fixture.
  
  
• 1990 – The VFL changes to the AFL. Things begin to improve for the Club, with the team finishing 7th on the ladder with 12 wins. Tony Liberatore went on to win the Brownlow Medal. Membership had soared from 5,220 to around 11,000.
  
  
• 1991 – The Club buys the license of the exiled Melbourne Monarchs Baseball Club in a bid to help the cost of ground development at the Whitten Oval.
  
  
• 1992 – Footscray enter their first finals campaign in over seven years, finishing second on the ladder at the end of the home and away season. The Club makes it all the way to the Preliminary Final, but bow out to the Cats.
  
  
• 1994 – Club legend Doug Hawkins breaks Ted Whitten's game record when he plays his 322nd game at the Whitten Oval. Hawkins is best on ground that day, gathering 23 possessions.
  
  
• 1995 – Talks of a merger once again raises its ugly head. Footscray is one of four clubs nominated by the AFL to consider a merger.
  
  
• 1995 – The Footscray Football Club lose their favourite son, with E.J Whitten losing his fight with cancer on 17th August.
  
  
• 1996 – The Club welcomes the AFL's offer of a five game package of home matches and four away fixtures at the MCG to increase revenue.
  
  
• 1996 – Coach Allan Joyce hands in his resignation half way through the season, with assistant coach Terry Wallace taking over the duties for the remainder of the season.
  
  
• 1996 – The Club seeks an injunction against Fitzroy to prevent the proposed Fitzroy/Brisbane merger because it would mean a breach of Fitzroy's 20-year lease to play home games at Whitten Oval. The injunction is not granted.
  
  
• 1996 – Footscray sell the Melbourne Monarchs Baseball Club.
  
  
• 1996 – A taskforce led by former players Rick Kennedy and Ray Baxter with businessmen David Smorgon and Alan Johnstone, gains influence over Club administration with a view of securing the Club's future in the AFL without merger. Peter Gordon announces his impending resignation in favour of the group and their business plan.
  
  
• 1997 – Before the start of the 1997 season, the Club changes its name from the Footscray Football Club to the Western Bulldogs Football Club.
  
  
• 1997 – In what will go down as one of the most memorable matches within the Club's history, the Western Bulldogs play their last official match ever at the Whitten Oval defeating the West Coast Eagles by two goals.
  
  
• 1997 – A new-look Bulldogs outfit under coach Terry Wallace, the team is able to combine skill with aggression to finish the season 3rd on the AFL ladder. After defeating the Sydney Swans convincingly during the first week of the finals, the team goes down in heartbreaking fashion to Adelaide during the Preliminary final. Despite holding a lead of four goals going into the last quarter, the Bulldogs would go down by two points to the eventual premiers.
  
  
• 1998 – The team shows ever greater improvement than the 1997 outfit, finishing second on the ladder. But once again, they yield to Adelaide in the Preliminary Final to pass up what could have been another Premiership opportunity.
  
  
• 1999 – The Western Bulldogs make it through to the finals for the third year in a row, but are not able to progress past the second week.
  
  
• 2000 – Once again the Club makes it through to the finals series, but are unable to defeat a rampaging Brisbane outfit at the Gabba. The Bulldogs players carry off captain and Brownlow medalist Scott Wynd for his last game.
  
  
• 2002 – And end of an era for the Bulldogs with on baller Tony Liberatore announcing his retirement in the week leading up to the round 17 clash with the Kangaroos. The team jumps out to an impressive lead and then goes on to defeat the Kangaroos for one of their favourite sons. After a round 21 loss to cellar dwellers Carlton, coach Terry Wallace announces his retirement. Assistant coach Peter Rohde is given the job to lead the team to victory against eventual grand finalist Collingwood in round 22. Rohde is appointed senior coach at the end of the season.
  
  
• 2003 – After a season filled with injuries and inconsistencies, the Bulldogs are wooden spooners, finishing the season with only three wins and a draw. However, a shining light for the Club is that they get the first pick of every talented youngster in the country, which they use on South Australian on baller Adam Cooney.
  
  
• March 2004 – After a first round loss to the Tigers in the Wizard Cup the LeasePlan Western Bulldogs embark on another season. Although they are more then competitive in the opening rounds, the Bulldogs lost the first three matches of the season by a combined total of 26 points (West Coast Eagles seven points, Collingwood nine points, Melbourne ten points). They finally break through for their first win of the year against Hawthorn in round four, giving ex Hawthorn player Jade Rawlings his first victory against his old club.
  
  
• April 2004 – The Western Bulldogs celebrate the 50 year anniversary of their one and only premiership by playing the Melbourne Demons in round three, the team who the Bulldogs beat on that glorious day in 1954. Unfortunately the Bulldogs can't rekindle the 54 spirit and go down to the Demons by 10 points at the MCG.
  
  
• August 2004 – After a disappointing year where the team has only won four out of a possible 18 games, Coach Peter Rhode is told he will not be coaching the Western Bulldogs next year. Rhode coaches out the remainder of the season.
  
  
• August 2004 – In round 20 the Western Bulldogs play host to eventual premiers Port Adelaide Power at Marrara Oval in Darwin for the first historic match in the Northern Territory for AFL premiership points. Although the Bulldogs have the crowd on their side they go down to Port Adelaide by 86 points.
  
  
• August 2004 – In a great coup for the club, the Western Bulldogs announce that they have secured the services of one of the league's most respected coaches, Rodney Eade.
  
  
• August 2004 – The Western Bulldogs faithful bid farewell to two of their favourite sons, with Club stalwarts Matthew Croft and Simon Garlick playing their farewell matches against the Kangaroos at the Telstra Dome in round 21. The Western Bulldogs rise to the occasion for the retiring duo and send them out on the best possible note, winning the match by 30 points. In fitting fashion, both Croft and Garlick put in superb efforts in their swansong matches, Croft kicking five goals and Garlick kicking two goals and gathering 14 possessions. New coach Rodney Eade watches the impressive effort from the grand stand.
  
  
• September 2004 – During Grand Final week the Western Bulldogs pull off one of the most exhilarating coups in the Club's history, with Prime Minister John Howard visiting the Whitten Oval to announce that his Liberal Government will be spearheading a $19.5 million redevelopment of the Whitten Oval. Once completed, the redeveloped ground will include a 120 place childcare centre, a conference and convention centre and a state-of-the-art sports, medical, and health care centre. President David Smorgon claims that the announcement will be recorded as one of the most significant in the Western Bulldogs history.
  
  
• October 2004 – In a superb effort, Club legend Scott West places himself amongst the Western Bulldogs greatest ever players, taking out the Best & Fairest honours for the sixth time. West equals the record of ruckman Gary Dempsey.
  
  
• March 2005 – Luke Darcy is selected to replace Chris Grant as the new Captain at the Club's Family Day, with Brad Johnson being selected as Vice Captain.
  
  
• March 2005 – Newly appointed Coach Rodney Eade begins his coaching career at the Club on a good note, defeating Collingwood in Round 1 of the 2005 season in front of a big crowd at the MCG.
  
  
• April 2005 – Club legend and former Best and Fairest winner Chris Grant lines up in the red, white and blue for the 300th time when the team takes on Adelaide at Telstra Dome in Round 5. Despite trailing at half time, the team displays an exciting brand of football in the second half and go on to chair Grant off the field with a 31 point victory.
  
  
• May 2005 – After starring the previous week against Adelaide kicking six goals, Captain Luke Darcy's season is tragically cut short by a knee injury suffered against Geelong at Skilled Stadium.
  
  Despite the loss of their Captain, the team refuse to concede that their season is over and record a memorable victory over highly regarded Brisbane at the Gabba the following week.
  
  
• June 2005 – Despite the further losses to the side with injuries to Chris Grant, Daniel Giansiracusa and Rohan Smith, the team flies up to their 'home away from home' in Darwin and puts on an impressive display to their Northern Territory fans with a 46 point victory over Carlton.

• While the team is doing their part on the field, the Club is also performing well off the field, with Chief Executive Campbell Rose announcing a new record membership figure of 21, 974.
  
  
• July/ August 2005 – After suffering three losses in a row to St Kilda, Fremantle and Adelaide the Western Bulldogs take on a red hot Geelong at Telstra Dome in Round 17. This match would be the kick start for the Club's most successful on field period since 2002, winning five out of the last six games of the season including four in a row against Geelong, Brisbane, top of the table West Coast and Richmond. Unfortunately, despite leading for the majority of the match, the Western Bulldogs are defeated by eventual finalist Melbourne in Round 21 to be the only blemish in what was one of the most positive periods in the Clubs recent history.

• The Western Bulldogs put in a solid performance against Collingwood in the last game of the year to record their 11th victory for the season, but narrowly miss out on a spot in the finals, finishing in 9th position.
  
  
• December 2005 - In the teams last training session before the Christmas break, Captain Luke Darcy again injuries his right knee and as a result, will miss the entire 2006 season.
  
  
• February 2006 - In a sign of the Club moving in a positive direction,young gun Ryan Griffen shows his committment to the team by extending his contract until the end of 2008.
  
  
• March/ April 2006 - Despite Captain Luke Darcy's absence, the Western Bulldogs begin the season on fire, winning the first four games of the season defeating Richmond, Melbourne, Essendon and Geelong and finding themselves on top of the ladder after Round 4.
  
  
• May 2006 - The Bulldogs face off against Collingwood in the match of the round during their Round 9 clash at the MCG in front of over 65,000 fans. After lossing key players in Daniel Giansiracusa (hamstring) and Robert Murphy (knee) to injury early in the game, the Bulldogs go down to an in form Collingwood, but are galent in defeat. Murphy's injury is season ending, as the forward becomes the fourth player (Luke Darcy, Tim Walsh and Adam Morgan) to suffer a season ending ACL knee injury in 2006.
  
  
• June 2006 - The Bulldogs continue on their great form despite injuries to key players, and defeat Brisbane at the Gabba by 42 points for their 8th victory from 12 matches, finding themselves in fourth position on the ladder. However, the team finds itself with another long term injury on it's hands, with key midfielder Mitch Hahn becoming the 5th Bulldog to require a knee reconstruction in 2006.
  
  
• September 2006 - Despite suffering several key injuries, the Western Bulldogs finish the Home & Away season in eighth position, making the finals series for the first time since 2000. During the week leading up to the Elimination Final against Collingwood, Brownlow medalist and three time Premiership player Jason Akermanis publicy states that he wants to join the Western Bulldogs in 2007.
  

• In front of 85,000 people, the Western Bulldogs are victorious over Collingwood, winning by 41 points. The same heroics could not be recruited the following week, with the team going down to eventual Premiers, the West Coast Eagles, by 74 points.
  
  
• October 2006 - Jason Akermanis joins the Western Bulldogs during trade week, having been traded for pick 34 in the NAB National Draft.

•  2007 - Sees the return of three star players from knee injuries including Luke Darcy from his second knee reconstruction along with Robert Murphy and Mitch Hahn.
  

• At the start of the 2007 season Brad Johnson is named permanent captain for the 2007 season and beyond.

• April 2007 - More than 180,000 cubic metres of soil was removed from the northern end of Whitten Oval to make way for the new home for the playing group.

• October 2007 - Charles Sutton Medal (Best and Fairest) awarded to defender Brian Harris (Brian Lake). With Runner up awarded to Brad Johnson and Scott West coming in third place.
  

• 2007 marked the last playing season for several key Bulldogs players including the Club games   record holder Chris Grant. With 341 games for the Bulldogs under his belt and a career full of      accolades Grant, the Bulldogs favourite son was going to be sorely missed. Other retirees for the  year included Luke Darcy past team Captain, Brett Montgomery and Matthew Robbins.

• Despite a poor finish to the season, off field the club once again recorded a record membership   figure of 28,725 and also posted an operating profit of $534,214.  
  

• 2008 - The Club makes a new partnership with Williamstown as their VFL affiliate.

• March 2008 - The Mission Elite Learning Centre opens for players. Almost four times the size   of their previous training facility, the centre houses a 30 metre running track, gym and laboratories  that will accommodate sports scientists, hot and cold plunge pools, meeting and conference areas and an auditorium.

• September 2008 - Midfielder Adam Cooney became the first Bulldog to win the Brownlow       Medal since Scott Wynd in 1992. The 22 year old secured the win with 24 votes, finishing just     one vote in front of Brisbane’s Simon Black.

• The end of the season saw one of the Bulldogs greatest champions Scott West hang up his boots. West was the recipient of a mass of awards throughout his career and upon his departure the club named an annual award in his honour, the Scott West Most Courageous Award.

•  October 2008 - Daniel Cross is awarded the Charles Sutton Medal (Best and Fairest) for season  2008. Runner up is received by Adam Cooney and finishing in third place was Matthew Boyd.

• March 2009 - Occupancy of new Infill building. The Western Bulldogs administration team returned after an 18 month absence.  

• July 2009 - Captain Brad Johnson becomes the new Club games record holder reaching the grand milestone of 342 games, breaking the record held by previous team mate Chris Grant (341 games).

• August 2009 - John Gent Stand Building complete. The refurbished John Gent Stand will house a number of community meeting rooms and related spaces for use by a wide range of community based organisations.
  

• The club secured the services of Senior Coach Rodney Eade with him signing a deal that will see him remain Senior Coach until the end of the 2011 season. Club President David Smorgon OAM said that "the extension of Rodney's contract is a reflection that the Club has great confidence in his ability, and is a demonstration of our commitment to him for a further two years."
  

• October 2009 -The Charles Sutton Medal was celebrated in new surroundings at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. The event was a great success and Matthew Boyd was the proud recipient of the coveted Charles Sutton Medal, closely followed by Runner up Daniel Cross and Dale Morris took third place.

• After long debate over the club’s need for a tall forward, powerhouse Barry Hall is picked up      during trade week by the Bulldogs. A premiership player for Sydney, Hall signed a two year deal  and is looking forward to adding to the Bulldogs successful forward line.